Tinubu hosts Madagascar President in high-level Abuja talks

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently holding a closed-door meeting with the President of Madagascar, Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Malagasy leader arrived the State House at about 2:57 p.m. local time and was received with full ceremonial honours, including a guard of honour mounted by the Presidential Brigade of Guards accompanied by bagpipers.

He was first welcomed by a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, before being ushered into the Presidential complex for the bilateral session.

The visit marks Randrianirina’s first official trip to Nigeria since assuming office in October 2025 following a political transition in Madagascar.

It also represents a rare high-level diplomatic engagement between both countries, as most previous interactions between Nigerian and Malagasy leaders have taken place on the sidelines of international summits rather than through state visits.

The visit comes weeks after both presidents met briefly during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, in May.

Although details of the meeting remain undisclosed, discussions are expected to focus on regional security cooperation, agricultural development, and climate change impacts, particularly the environmental challenges affecting parts of Madagascar.

Randrianirina, who has recently embarked on a series of African diplomatic visits, is also reported to be pursuing deeper engagement with emerging global blocs, including BRICS, as part of Madagascar’s foreign policy realignment.

Further updates are expected after the closed-door meeting concludes.

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